Impossible Hopes
by StrangeStageLight
Summary: Éponine, a young student, comes across Enjolras, a bourgeoisie boy with fanciful ideas and no practical experience [ModernAU]
1. I

**I**

**All my scars are open**

* * *

The coldness of the Parisian winter slithered past Éponine's thinning coat even as she pulled it tighter around herself. The cold wind burned her face and chapped lips, but she ignored it as best as she could. She turned the corner and out of the darkness came a hand that grabbed onto her wrist. Montparnasse stepped into the light keeping his hand on Éponine's wrist. His uncovered fingertips were close to freezing on her previously warm skin. She harshly pulled her arm away and rubbed her skin in the hope that it would become warm again.

'Fancy seeing you here, Ponine.'

She narrowed her eyes at him. He had been here waiting for her, but Éponine knew better than to mention that.

'How have you been?' He drawled, as he moved closer to her.

'Fine, thanks.'

Her curt reply causes anger to show on his face. To Éponine it's obvious he wanted something more from her. _Does he want more from me or does father?_ Montparnasse had been growing closer to her father these past few months and truthfully it was the last thing that Éponine wanted. However, she controlled neither her father's nor Montparnasse's actions.

'I have a proposal for you.'

_He's here for father._ There was no rational explanation for the sadness that coursed through her. She had wanted him to be here for her. _Why did I want that?_

'I don't want to hear it Parnasse.'

'I really think you do.'

'No, I don't.'

He tried to grab her, but she slipped away. Éponine saw a glint of silver in his hand and her stomach fluttered in panic. But, if there is one thing that she learnt from her father it is to always wear a brave face.

His movement is driven by anger and Éponine's by her need to not be hurt.

Out of the corner of her eye Éponine saw a whirl of motion and Montparnasse hit the ground. His head made a worrying sound against the sidewalk as he fell.

'What the fuck? You asshole!' Éponine yelled.

She glared at the man that was looking back and forth between her and Montparnasse's unconscious form. He was breathing heavily. His blond hair shone under the streetlights and his clothes looked expensive.

'I was trying to help you.'

She ignored him and crouched beside Montparnasse and carefully checked his head for bleeding. When Éponine found nothing she breathed a sigh of relief. The man had started speaking again.

'I didn't mean for that to happen. He looked like he was going to hurt you.'

She needed to get Montparnasse to her apartment. She might hate him now, but he had once been her Parnasse.

'Just help me get him to my apartment.' She snapped at the man.

Between the two of them they managed to place Montparnasse on the overused couch in Éponine's apartment. She covered him in blankets and pressed a bag of frozen vegetables against the back of his head. The blond man was starting to eye her door as if he was eager to leave and she wondered why he hadn't left yet. Éponine decided to make his decision for him.

'You're free to leave you know.'

'I feel really bad about what happened with him.'

'Parnasse had it coming anyway.'

There was an awkward pause and Éponine looked down at Montparnasse's surprisingly peaceful face. People like him and her didn't find much peace in life outside of sleeping and even that when there were no nightmares. Rich boy on the other hand looked like he had known nothing but peace in his life and Éponine hated him for it.

'Are you okay?'

_No._ Her father was looking for her once more. Trying to draw her into his schemes that she wanted no part in. That wasn't the answer he wanted though.

'He didn't hurt me.'

'What are you going to do when he wakes up?'

'I will be fine.'

_I do not need your help_, were the words Éponine left unspoken. He hurried towards the door.

'I'm Éponine by the way,' she called after him.

He turned his head to look at her and there was a ghost of a smile on his lips.

'Enjolras,' he mumbled before slipping away.


	2. II

**II**

**You could still be**

**What you want to**

**What you said you were**

**When I met you**

* * *

Éponine's head rested on the arm of the couch as she drifted in and out of sleep.

'Ponine?'

The raspy voice pulled her from her sleep.

'Thank god you're awake. I was worried about you.'

He only nodded and she was tempted to ask what he remembered from last night, but restrained herself in case he brought up her father again. Éponine rubbed her eyes in order to help wake herself up. The silence between stretched longer.

'Your Papa said you might need some convincing to come along, but he said he wanted you unhurt.'

Éponine noticed how he didn't say what he wanted. _Does he care if I am hurt?_ She placed her hand gently on his cheek and he relaxed into it. Here they were again. Ponine and Parnasse. It had been just the two of them against the world for so long. She kissed him gently on his lips before pulling away. Her hand fell to her side. I_ loved you_, she wanted to scream instead she spoke barely above a whisper.

'Get out.'

'Ponine, _please_. Listen to me.'

But she didn't want to listen to him. She had had enough of her father, of Montparnasse's lies, and of the man that Montparnasse had become - her father's lackey.

'I said get out. I never want to see you again. I never want to see him again. Just leave me alone!'

A lie, maybe, but she would never admit to herself that she wanted to see Parnasse again.

That day Éponine called in sick to work and spent her time curled up in bed, her mind wandering out of control. She replayed the events of last night and remembered Enjolras standing there and her fear when Parnasse fell - a feeling which she promptly strove to forget. A bitter laugh escaped her; he probably thought he had done a great deed by helping a girl like her. _What a fucking pompous brat._


	3. III

**III**

**From what I gathered**

**I couldn't be at rest**

* * *

Life returned to as normal as it ever was. Éponine attended classes during the morning before heading to work at an overpriced clothes store. By the time work was finished and she reached home the sun had already set. Having seen neither Montparnasse nor Patron Minette for a few weeks a part of her couldn't help but hope for the best. The rest of her knew it was only a matter of time before her father came for her himself.

In a rare miracle the sun was out, but it provided no relief from the frigid wind. Éponine held her textbook on Ancient Greece close to her body as she made her way to the bus stop. There was a sudden cheer followed by excited chattering, Éponine decided to follow the sound. She came upon a small group of boys sitting in a circle on grass; open books seemed to be thrown carelessly around them. She moved closer so she could listen in on their conversation.

'There can't be equal opportunities for all while the class system exists.' A boy said, but Éponine couldn't see his face since he had his back turned to her.

Another that had previously been concentrating on a book open in front of him looked up. She recognised him. It was that boy that had hit 'Parnasse.

'A fair system of welfare for people is what's needed to reach equality. Allow people the opportunity to move upwards in the class system.'

Éponine laughed harshly. Some of the boys jumped and turned to stare at her.

'Do you honestly believe that will do anything?' She questioned them.

There was a stunned silence around the circle as the boys looked at one another. It was the blond boy that had attacked 'Parnasse that replied. _What was his name?_

'You don't?'

Obviously this rich boy had no idea.

'When people can tell what class you belong to by the way you dress and act and talk and judge you for it, it's a bit hard to make progress anywhere much less ever reach equality. And moving upwards? Obviously rich boys like you have no idea how hard that is when the system is working against you. What are a bunch of boys like you going to do, anyway?'

'We'll work to do everything we can to make the situation better for people like you.'

'_People like me? _What can you and your rich boys do for _people like me_?'

Éponine was aware of his friend's watching the verbal volley as if it were a tennis match. Some of them looked engaged in what the bourgeoisie boy was saying and others were shocked. She watched as he noticed his friends' reactions as well.

'Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere?'

_Oh, do you care for my opinion, rich boy?_ There was a vibration in Éponine's pocket, she pulled her phone out and clicked the display on. It was a message from Montparnasse.

_You need to get Gavroche from school today._

Her heart sank as she realised the unsaid message Parnasse was trying to send her. Her father and the Patron Minette were in action.

'Excuse me?'

She glanced up from her phone to see bourgeoisie boy with an expectant look on his face.

'Sorry, bourgeoisie boy. People like me have got things we need to be doing that don't involve being the saviour of everyone else.'

She turned away from him and began to walk to the bus stop. She typed out a reply to Montparnasse.

_Okay._


	4. IV

**IV**

**I saw two birds lost at sea**

**I caught our reflection**

**In that silent tragedy**

**But with hope prevailing**

* * *

Gavroche sat at the small study table, swinging his legs back and forth as he worked on a maths problem and Éponine sat on the couch with papers strewn around her as she tried to plan out an essay. There was a knock at her door. Éponine glanced sharply at the door before looking toward her younger brother. He tried to give her a brave smile, but she knew that he did not want to go back to their parents today. _I won't let them do anything to you, Roche._ Whoever was at the door knocked again. Éponine set her papers on the coffee table and made her way towards the door with worried steps. Through the peephole she could see that it was Montparnasse. Leaving the door chain in place she opened the door.

'About time Ponine. You can hand over Gavroche now. I'll take him home.'

'No, he's spending the night here with me.'

'Ponine, you know you can't do anything about it.' Montparnasse kept his voice low in case Gavroche was close to the door.

'The hell I can't.'

In the end she knew he was right. There was no way for her to get legal custody of Gavroche and no way to support them both without help if she just took him away. It made her angry, at her situation, at the world, and Montparnasse seemed to be the only one she could take some of her anger out on.

'Where were you this afternoon anyway? Running errands for my father? How did the Patron Minette's latest mission go anyway, huh?'

Montparnasse glanced around the hallway with worry.

'Can we talk about this inside, maybe?'

'No.'

'Just let me take him and I'll make sure nothing will happen to him.'

'No, he's staying here. And I told you last time Parnasse, I never want to see you again. So, fuck off.'

Éponine shut the door and let out a heavy sigh. She wanted a drink, but there were other things that she had to think about right now. Her eyes landed on the empty chair at the the study table and panic squeezed her heart.

'Roche?'

His small figure crawled out from under the study table and she smiled slightly in relief. The two siblings stared at one another across the room.

'Parnasse's gone.' She said.

A smile broke out on Gavroche's face and he ran towards her. Éponine hugged him close and kissed the top of his head. _You deserve a better sister._

* * *

The next morning Éponine dropped Gavroche at school with a heavy heart. She crouched down in front of him and pressed a piece of paper into his hands.

'That has my mobile number and my address on it. Come to me if you need my help, but please don't tell mama or papa that you know where I live.'

'I won't.'

'Also, if you can't reach me find Parnasse. He'll keep you safe for a while at least.'

'I know, Ponine.'

His exasperated tone compelled her to explain her actions to him.

'I'm just worried about you.'

Her hands straightened his shirt and jacket. Gavroche threw his thin arms around her.

'Love you, Ponine.'

'Love you too, Roche.'


End file.
